Moodle or Social Networks: What Alternative Refuge Is Appropriate to Algerian EFL Students to Learn during COVID-19 Pandemic

Autor/in	Ghounane, Nadia
Titel	Moodle or Social Networks: What Alternative Refuge Is Appropriate to Algerian EFL Students to Learn during COVID-19 Pandemic
Quelle	In: Arab World English Journal, 11 (2020) 3, S.21-41 (21 Seiten) PDF als Volltext kostenfreie Datei Verfügbarkeit
Zusatzinformation	ORCID (Ghounane, Nadia)
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	2229-9327
Schlagwörter	Management Information Systems; Social Media; Computer Software; COVID-19; Pandemics; Higher Education; Foreign Countries; Social Networks; Second Language Learning; Second Language Instruction; English (Second Language); Teaching Methods; English Literature; Universities; Virtual Classrooms; Learning Processes; Student Motivation; Student Attitudes; Electronic Learning; Videoconferencing; Graduate Students; Masters Programs; Language Teachers; Teacher Attitudes; Comparative Analysis; Preferences; Classroom Communication; Algeria + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Managementinformationssystem; Soziale Medien; Hochschulbildung; Hochschulsystem; Hochschulwesen; Ausland; Social network; Soziales Netzwerk; Zweitsprachenerwerb; Fremdsprachenunterricht; English as second language; English; Second Language; Englisch als Zweitsprache; Teaching method; Lehrmethode; Unterrichtsmethode; Englische literatur; University; Universität; Learning process; Lernprozess; Schulische Motivation; Schülerverhalten; Graduate Study; Student; Students; Aufbaustudium; Graduiertenstudium; Hauptstudium; Studentin; Magister course; Magisterstudiengang; Language teacher; Sprachunterricht; Lehrerverhalten; Klassengespräch; Algerien
Abstract	Social platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, YouTube, and Instagram have become the refuge of teachers and students during the last years. However, there are many educational platforms set by the Algerian Ministry of Higher Education like Moodle and which bring the same services to the learners but in an academic setting. These platforms, mainly Facebook, has gained celebrity in the last years and are still achieving the same position during the COVID-19 pandemic even though many applications come to life, and virtual learning has become the only choice. The current research work under scrutiny aims to provide an in-depth look at the situation of EFL teaching and learning in the Algerian context during the COVID-19 pandemic by taking the department of English Language and Literature at Saida University as a case in point. It also endeavors to shed light on the learning process and which tools educators have used to promote virtual learning. As such, the main questions that set the study are how do Algerian universities face COVID-19 pandemic? Are Algerian EFL students motivated towards academic platforms like Moodle? Do EFL learners benefit from the new applications like Google Classroom and Zoom in promoting E-learning? Where about social networks like Facebook? Are these social platforms still gaining fame in the learning process during the pandemic? To answer these problematic questions, the researcher conducted a study with EFL first-year Master students and eight teachers of the English language at Saida University, Algeria. The researcher collected data through a questionnaire and an interview. The findings revealed that the most used tool for educational purposes was Facebook due to the students' motivation. The second tool was the Moodle platform. The analysis also demonstrated that students prefer face-to-face interaction in the classroom and handouts more than virtual learning. The results also showed that students are motivated to employ both SNSs like Facebook and YouTube and educational platforms as Moodle as complementary teaching materials. (As Provided).
Anmerkungen	Arab World English Journal. 10602 Davlee Lane, Richmond, Texas, 77407. e-mail: editor@awej.org; e-mail: info@ASELS.org; Web site: https://awej.org/
Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2024/1/01